Manufacture of car-wheels.



J. M. HANSEN.

MANUFACTURE OF CAR WHEELS.

APPLIGATION FILED 0017,

Patented May 13, 1913.

SHEETS-SHIGBT l.

m m. 2.1;: MM

wrmesszs. 03 71% INVENTOR.

J. M. HANSEN.

MANUFACTURE OF CAR WHEELS.

APPLICATION rum) OCT. 7, 1911.

Patented May 13, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG. 4

FIG. 3

mvzu'roa. i4

J. M. HANSEN.

MANUFACTURE OF GAR WHEELS.

APPLICATION TILED 0017,1911.

1,061,284. Patented May13,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 8.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENYBOFEIQE' JOHN M. HANSEN, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, JOHN M. Hansen, a citizen of the United States, and resident of .Pittsbur h, in the county of Allegheny and v State of Pemisylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Manufacture of -'Car-Whee'ls; and I dohereby declare the followingQto be a full, clear, and exact de scription\ thereof.

' My 'invention relates to 'tl1e-.manufacture of forged steel car and similar wheels, and

may be considered generally an improvement upon the manufacture of such wheels asset forth in lt embodiescertain improvements in the forging operations tending to reduce the cost of'inanufacture and by one forging operation to distribute the metal in such way that it will flow more easily to assure the productionof a. perfect wheel in a second and finishing forging-operation. The special points of the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed. V [n'the accompanyingdrawings Figure l is a vertical section of the first operation dies showing in dotted lines the position of Y theblank and the dies before the first forging' stroke and in fulllines the completion practical experience,

of said forging stroke. Fig. 2 illustrates the method of withdrawalof the blank after the first forging operation. Fig. illustrates the position of the blank as transferred to "the second forging dies and before it is operated upon therein. Fig. 4- shows 'the preliminary movement of said dies and the'operation 'of the same upon thejialank. Fig. 5 shows the complete forging stroke in the second operation. vicw of the piant illustrating the'prcferred arrangement and location of the forging presses. In the manufacture of forged steel car wheels it is important to provide for the rapid forging of the heated blank and to form the same at a single heat. It also is important to reduce the number of forging steps, and to so distribute the metal by one 'foi-gin operation as to assure the formation o ,'a perfect finished wheel by a second forging operation. In so doing. as shown the metal of the thick circular slab from which the wheel is formed must be caused to flow in such way U. S. Letters PatentN-os. 866,020 to866,Q26, granted to me Sept. 17,

And Fig. 6 is a plan' MANUFACTUJBE 0F CAR-WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented B'Iay 13,1913, i a Application filed October 7, 1911. Serial No. 653,4.25.

' that the hub will be developed and the metal from which the rim is formed shall be so placed that it will properly fillout all the parts of the dies in the finishing forging forging method as set.forth in the patents above referred to, and particularly in Partout No. 866,020, the surplus metal in the mid develop the hub and the blank is brought to substantial bowl shape, the outer portion thereof being'so distributed that in the second operation it will completely form the rim and flange. 1 have found-that it is also desirable to practically complete the formation of the web in the first operation so that in the second operation the web may be set wheel without further forging'or reducing of the web portion while bringing the rim portion of the blank into the most desirable position for the final forging stroke and maintaining the hub portion of the blank in proper position for the final piercing thereof and the necessary compression to complete the hub. In the rapid Work required'i'or the making of the wheel by two forging operations it is also important to provide means for quickly delivering the blunkfrom therfirst forging dies so that it can be transferred to the second forging dies. It is also important to so forge the upon itself or the formation of 'thin fins which n'iight be forced down into the body of the blank in the second forging thereof these advantages are all obtained.

The general arrangement of the plant is illustrated in Fig. (3 in which A is the primary forging press, B the final forging press, C theshearing press by "which the square or other angular slab is sheared to circular form and delivered to the primary forging press, and D' the transfer crane between the two forging presses. employ a shearing press such as described in applicatiou for patent filed by me Nov. 15, 1909, Serials No. 528,205, and which does not require .detailed d0SCllpl3lOXl,'th8 slab being delivered upon the table 0 and fed by a pusher c operated by a suitable cylinder to the shearing ress C and a circular/blank is sheared there iy circular blank being fed at. a lower level over the table 0' to the dies of the primary portion of the blank is forced inwardly to to the proper dish required for the finished from the angular slab, the

step. To this end,'in following the broadmetal that all liability of the metalfolding shall be avoided. By the present invention The transfer crane Dds-located between-the forging press" by means of a pusher c operated by a suitable cylinder. The forging presses may be of any suitable construction.

It is necessary that they shall have great 6 power, the presses inactual use developing a power of ten thousand tons or more. By means 'of suitable cylinders power is applied to the dies hereafter describedi to produce the necfisary operations of the dies and of the center or piercing mandrels or plunger-s.

two presses arid adapted to quickly grasp the blank as delivered from the first press and transfer it to the; second press. and also 15 to carry away the fi ished wheel from the second press. It is 5; spcnded from an overhead track d and 1s; ro'vided with the grip- 1 ping arms'd' for gripping the blanks and wheels. It is shown in full lines in position --to take the blank from the primary press, andin dotted lines as delivering it to the i finishing press; 4 i

Thef dies of therprimary.press are illustrated; in Figs. 1 and'2. The bed o supports the anjril-dies which as illu t rated are formed of a bottom die 1 and a l'lIlg-dlt5'2 and the hub die 3through which the center plunger" '4 operates. The reciprocating die head 5 carries a main upper die 6. the edge forming die 7, and the upper huh die 8, while the center plunger 9 carries the center punch 10. 'At the upper end of the ring die 2 is the annular seat :11 in which the circular slab 12 from twhieh the wheel is formed is centered and supported being; delivered thereto from the shearing press (3, this slab being shown in dotted lines. For the manufactureof the standard 33-inch wheel the slab is usually about two and one-half inches 40 thick, while the hub of the finished wheel is a out seven'inches thick, and the web port on is about an inch to an inch and a quarter in thickness. The metal displaced in forming the hub is therefore forced in- .wardly to develop the hub. For that purpose the die has the inclined web forming face Bland at the inner end thereof the downwardly tapered huh 't'orniing face 14 leading to theihuh die 3. while the upper die 6 has the inclined weh forming face 15 and the up\\-'ardly'-curved huh forming face [(1 .leading up to the upper huh die 8. It will be noticedthat the upper fare I? of the' lower hub die 3 is curved or inclined andthat the center plunger 4 in its normal positioti forms the bottom of the hub cavity, nd is tapering so thatit lea \esa space hei wben said huh die and the plunger into which the metal. can flow. Under the press'-' i'ngstroke oftlleireeiprocaling die the metal is gripped between the faces 13 and 15 and flbws inwardly into the huh cavity v1-8. sufiici'ent metal being thus forced inwardly to develop the hub, while the metal is prevented from. forming in any thin tins, as

space is left by the inclined faces fOf' the flow of the metal in considerable body, so preventing the formation of any thin body of metal. Beyond the web forming face 13 of the bottom (lie is the annular recess '20 which vwith the inner face of the ring die 2 forms the ca ity for t l 1e 9 uter portion of the blank as forg ed at saiddies 'lhis annular recess 20 is/carriedbelow the highest pointi i of the web' forming .face 13 to provide in the primary forging on the blank of a rudimentary-lower rim port-ion 2L on the blank, it being found desirable in this first forging operation to force part of the metal below the web to aid in the developmentof the rim in the finished wheel. 'lhe ring die 2 has the inner face 22 which istp iferahly made at a slight outward lla re extcndfi up to the seat 11 formed at thegp of saiti ring die. It, will noted that me main upper diecarries the supplemental edging die 7 above the edge; of the howl-shaped hlank. This die is intended to contact with the upperedge of the blank after-it is brought to bowlshape and at the end of the stroke to ,force the outer portion-of the bowl-shaped blank downwardly so as to force the metal'intothe annular recess '20. It will be-noted that this die does not tit against the ring die. It leaves a relatively wide space 23 between them through which anyqsui'plus nietal may the raised, as at 24. Tlps preventsrthe for imation ofa thin tin *"t this point which might chill quickly andibe folded down in the second forging operation. i 100 During the primary :forging operation/l the plunger 10 is forced down-into the blank as illustrated in Fi 1, but it does not en'- f tirely pierce the bank. .only causing the i i i metal to rise within the hub cavi y 18 and-t0 10 be filled out against the faces l-t and l7 0f moved in the final forging operation; ifter 0-- this primary 'l'orging operation the lower renter plunger 4 is forced upw rdly iqs shown in Fig. 2 and operates onthel, artially pierced huh portion to raise hc b ank from the matrix in position to asped hy the grippers (l of l he crane D an transferred to the finishin Thugs the 'cen-' ter plunger 4 not on y partially pierces: the blank hut holds theb la'pk centrally as'it raises the blank from the dies by fitting within the seat .in the hub; portion formed by. such partial piercing operation; and the blank is raised from thematrix practically simultaneously with the withdrawal of the upper die. The finishing dies as illustrated in Figs. 3 to 5 have the bed 6 supporting the? liottoln finishing die 30 and the bottom huh (lie 3i through which the piercing mandrel 3:. passes. this mandrel 32 being removable and resting loosely upon the plunger 33. 1.50

- which coiiperate with the rim formin The web face 34 of the die30 is at the proper incline, or dish for the finished web of the-wheel while its hub face-35 corresponds 'to'the hub face 14"of the primary dies and tlie inclined upper face 36 of the hub die 31 is also formed on the same incline or curve as the up er face of thehub die 3.. Beyond the web ace 34 isthe annular rim forming recess 37 which corresponds to the lower rim face of the finishednvheel.

The upper reciprocatin'g die head 38 carries the die holder 39 in which is secured the annular die block 40." The center plunger 41 operates upon the center .web forming die .42 and hub forming die43 through the intel-mediate die block 44 which .in its normal position is supported by the die head 38 through the inclined faces 45, 46. The apparatus is shown for the formation of a car wheel and the die block/ has the rim forming face 47 and the flange forming face 48 recess 37 of the bottom die to form the finished flanged rim. Itfwill be noted that the die block 1O has above its rim forming face a small annular recess 49. The purpose of this will be referredto' later. The web bending face offthe reciprocating web die 42 is set to the proper dish of the finished wheel and its "rim rface 51 is at the proper curve for forming'the inner and up per face of the rim while itsinner curved face 52 is of thepro er curve for the inner upper face of the hu The huh die 43 has the. central bore 53 -and its lower edge ,54' acts as ashearin connect-ion with 'the pierc-Q ing mandrel 32 in the finishingof the Wheel. The cenfial bore 53 1e into a central opening 56 'in the die ca'i'r which is of greater g'diameter than isiii ddbore 53 and which communicates with side-jqfenings 57, which side openings communiiiatej mith the transverse passage 58 in the d-ie liedd38,

- said parts being arranged for the removal of the was formingwith in -enmeshethe metaliin the mid portion of the blank inwardlyifto' ru'dimentally develop the hub and' bring the web 60 of the blank to finished thickness, the metal fiowiffg' into the hub-,cayity18. During or after this opera tion the plunger 10 is forced downwardly and spreads this rudimentary hub"deve'l op- -over the top edge 17 of the hub die 3 and between it'and the plunger 4 forming an annular projection 62 on the blank, and causing the metal to rise around said plunger 10 to develop the hub portion 63 on the upper face of the blank. During this forging operation the outer bowl portion of the .blank is confined by the ring die 2 and at the end of the stroke the supplemental edging die 7 contacts with the upper edge of the bowl of the blank and by pressure thereon insures the flow o'f'the metal down intothe annular recess 20 between the bottom die 1 and the ring die 2, so developing the rudimentary rim portion 21' on the bottom face of the blank. The plunger 10 in its descentonly partially pierces the die, leaving the central film 25 betweenit and the plunger 4 as above described. The upper dies are then immediately raised and-the center plunger 4 ascends as-illustratedin Fig: 2, lifting the blank from the primary dies in position to be gripped by the jaws' d of the crane D which quickly carries the blank from the primary press A and de livers it into the finishing press B. As abovestated the faces 35 and 36 of the bottom die 30 and the hub die 31 of the finishing press correspond to the like faces 14 and 17. in the primary press and in this way the blank is centered in the finishing dies as shown particularly in Fig. 3. However, as shown in 1 Fig. 3 the web forming portion of the blank is raised at a greater incline than the face 34 ofthe bottom die and the rim forming portion 64 of the blank is not of as eat diametpr as required in the finishe wheel. The reciprocating dies are then allowed to descend, when the die '42 enters within the b wl of the blank and forces the bowl down-f,-

war'dly and outwardly, so that'the web portion 60 thereof is clamped between the web face50 of the top die 42 and the web face 34 of the bottom die 30, while the rudimentary rim-portion 21 is forced downwardlyinto the recess 37 of the bottom die. The die heads 44 and 38 descend together, wind .in this} way-the rim forming portion;

64 of the blank enters Within the die block 1 40 andafter the clamping of the 'web portion or the blank by the dies 30 and 42 as is forced down under great power and the rim of,the wheel is forged to finished shape, 'the metal being forced downwardl to fill the recess 3-7 and flow outwardly between the same and the flange forming .face 48 and against the tread forming face'47, the surplus metal rising within the annular recess .459 oreiit'ering within the overflow re-- cess bet-ween the-"dies 30 and 40. As the lllilllk lS thus clamped between the dies the above described, power is applied tothe ,die head 33 and in this'way the die block 40 renter plunger 33 is forced upwardly, forcing the hub portion 61, the metal flowing ing the loose or reluovablmpicrcing mandrel wardly through the hub it acts in like man- -62 of the rudimentary hub and through its conical upper end forces the metal to flow outwardly and insures the fillin up .of the lower portion of 'the hub. As it rises :up-

ner upon the metal-in the upper partof the rudimentary hub, spreading it out to fill the hub cavity andforcing it up against the hub die 43 carried by the die head 44, and any surplus metal is sheared off against the shearin edge 54 of said hub die and in the form a conical cap 67 is carried up wardly through the bore 53 and into the centralopening 56. As illustrated in Fig. 5 this space may hold several such mandrels 32 with the surplus metal 67 and'when the openings 57 and 58 are in line,as at the end of the forging stroke, by means of a bar 68 passed through the'opening 57 these can be pushed out at the side of the dies as illustrated.

"down into the recess to form the rudimental-y rim portion 21. By so arranging the dies I find that all tendency of the metal to fold at the rim in the finishing operation caused by the carrying of the metal forming the rim portion of the wheel past the web portion, is overcome. It will also be noticed that in the blank formed in the prima ry diesthe metal is allowed to flow in agthick lip 24 between the edging die ,7 and'; the ring die 2, and that in the second operation this same metal is allowed to flow intp the recess 49. If only a thin fin wereformed at this point such fin would eoo'lis'o rapidly that it might be forced down into'gthe body of the'wheel and form an impexfjetiomlbut'by forming the thick lip .24,

the heat is held in the metal at this point,

and by providing the flow of the metal into ,the recess 49 in the second operation, a full square corner is insured on the wheel blank.

- The surplus metal at this pointean be removed in the. subsdlucnt facing and finishing of the wheel.

Practical experience has proven 'that in the. practieelof the invention as above described all practical difliculties experienced in the,manufacture of these wheels, are overcome; and that the wheels can be rapidly and regularly; made, the. wheelsbeing inade complete froni the slabs in as short time as two 2) minutes, and more than I ifhftn dred (6 O0) wheels being turned sopt per day; while the filling outof all tliife pai'ts of the wheel is insured and anv ditiibul'ties of. the metal folding and-the bliinlesticking within the press, which were liableto occur accordingto the ,heat of the metahilre overcome. r

\Vhat I claim is:

1. The improvement in the art of forming forged steel car and ,like wheels, consisting in die forging an imperforate heated blankto thin the web portion and initially develop the rim and hub portions, immediately raising the blank from the bottom die and transferring it to separate finishing dies and therein forging the hub, rim and web portions to finished form and shape of dish.

forged steel car and like. wheels, consisting indie forging an imperforate heated blank to thin the'web portion and initially develop the rim and hub portions, raising the blank from the bottom die by. means of a center plunger, immediately transferring the blank to separate finishing dies and therein bending the web portion togfiiiislied shape of dish, forging the'rim hnd piercing the hub.

. 76 2. The improvement in the art of forming 3. The im rovement'in the art of formin forged steel car and like wheels, consisting in die forgii g an imperforate heated blank todevelbpaim, web and hub portions, partially piereing'the hub portion from below, raising the blank from the bottom die by means of the center plupger by which the hub has helm partially pierced, immediately transferrin r tie blank to separate finishingdies and therein bending tlie'web portion. to finished shape of dish. forging the rim, and piercing ithfe; hub.

4. Thd improvement in the art of forming forged steel car and like wheels, consisting in die forging an imperforate heated blank to partially develop the hub and rim portions and bring the web ,to finished thickness, inunediatel, transferring the blank to finishing dies and therein bending the web to finished shape of-dish and while the web is confined between the-dies forging the rim portion to finished shape.

1). forged steel ear' and ikewheels. consisting in die forging an imperforate heated blank to develop the \veb- 'iort'iou and beyond the same a rudimentary rim portion depending below the web portion. immediately transt'erring the blank to finishing dies and therein forging the rimportio n to finished shape with its body extending onboth sides of the web portion. V

. 6. The improvement in the art of'forming forged steel ear and like wheels, consisting in die forging an imperforatehea-ted blank and thereby bringing the web port-ionto finished thickness but' at-a great er incline thanlthe dish of the finished wheel and developing a rudimentary rim portion beyond the web portion and extending-below" the same, immediately transferring the blank to finishing dies and thereinfirst-.bcnding H the web portiori'to finished shape of dish and thus forcing said rudimentary rim" p01; tion downwardly and outwardly, and then The improvement in the art. of formingforging the outer portion of the blank to finished shape of rim with its body on both sides of the Web.

7. The improvement in the art of forming forged steel car and like Wheels, consisting in die forgim an imperforate heated blank, and thereby forming it into bowl shape and thinning the web portion and by pressure on the edge portion of the bowl shaped blank forcing the rim forming metal downwardly past the web portion, immediately transferring the blank to finishing dies and therein forming the hub andweb and a finished rim extending on both sides of the web portion.

forged steel car or like wheels, consistin in die forging an imperforate heated blank to reduce the web portion in thickness and force the displaced metal inwardly to develop a rudimentary hub and carry the metal below the body of the hub as finished, in'unediately transferring said blank to finishing dies and therein forcing a tapering mandrel upwardly through said hub portion and in so doing forcing the metal at the bottom of the rudimentary hu b outwardly to fill up the lower portion in the finished hub.

9. The improvement in the art of forming forged steel ear and like Wheels, consisting in die forging an imperforate heated blank to reduce the web in thickness and force the displaced metal inwardly to develop a rudimentary hub, transferring said blank to finishing dies and therein forcing a removable tapering mandrel entirely through said hub and by such piercing action spreading and forcing the upper part of the rudimentary hub upwardly to complete the formation of the hub on the upper side of the blank and shearing off the surplus metal at the upper edge of the hub.

10. The improvement in the art of forming forged steel car and like wheels, consisting in die forging an imperforate heated blank into bowl shape and thereby thinning 8. The improvement in the art of forming the web portion and in connection therewith edge pressing the upper edge of the bowl portion over the inner edge thereof, and thereby forming a thick outer edge portion projecting above the body of the bowl, immediately transferring said blank to finishing dies and therein finishing the hub, Web and rim and applying pressure over the outer edge of the bowl over said raised portion to force such raised rim metal down- Wardly.

In testimony whereof, I the said JOHN M. HANSEN have hereunto set In hand.

JOHN M. HANSEN. \Vitnesses:

ROBERT C. TOTTEN, JoHN F. WILL. 

